Bret Michaels Gives Promise Ring to Girlfriend of 16 Years

Bret Michaels may be 47 years old and dating his girlfriend fo 16 years already (since I was in fourth grade), but that doesn't stop him from denying that he is actually engaged. He gave a ring to his woman, and mother of his 2 children, but denies that it was an engagement ring. It was, in fact, a promise ring. According to Michaels, their couplehood is a "work in progress." He must be a slow worker. It only took me three months. Then again, I'm a religious type.

It makes you think: If you're together for 16 years, why a promise ring and not an engagement ring? What is the difference, really? This brings me back to my religious point. If you don't believe in a higher power, there really is not much point to marriage. Marriage is basically an agreement to put your relationship under a higher power that will sanctify your relationship.

One can argue that marriage is simply a legal agreement, and in a way, it can be. But simply going to court and arranging a legal agreement and calling it "marriage" doesn't have the same impact.

Monogomy, in an evolutionary sense, is not natural, but it is the most successful familial structure, leading the least jealousy and stable raising of children.

A promise ring is nice, and is usually used to day to convey a slowing in people's willingness to commit. This slowing opened up a whole market, so who can complain? And anyway, we're living longer, so we have the ability to slow down.

It's not like your 15 and you'll die in another 20 years so you may as well get on with it. If we're living to close to 80, then we've got plenty of time for promise rings, pre promise rings, promise to give you a promise ring, and every layer in between.

Going for a Promise Ring? Try White Gold

If you're considering a promise ring to reach a plateau in your relationship and relax a little, perhaps stimulate the economy a little bit by spending some money and helping us all get out of the recession, then I'd suggest not getting something too overly swanky.

Chances are, if she's ready for a promise ring but not an engagement ring, she may get a little jumpy if the ring is a little more valuable than she had in mind. Value means commitment, and if you're not at the point of an engagement ring, you're probably not at the point of a promise ring with the value of one.

At the same time, don't just get her a stainless steel band or something. Silver is an option, but it is a bit on the cheap side and it tarnishes easily if you don't constantly take care of it. Platinum is out of the question, and rhodium is totally whacked out. (Over $80,000 a kilo. Don't go near it.) Yellow gold is a sensible option, but it's too obvious and indicative of some intended move, know what I mean?

In my head white gold is the most sensible metal to pick for these types of gifts. It doesn't scream gold, it isn't as cheap as silver, and it's not as swanky as platinum.

Though when buying white gold, be careful to make sure that your girl is not allergic to nickel. Even if she isn't try staying away from nickel alloyed white gold jewelry, since allergies have been known to develop. Instead, stick with either palladium or manganese, both of which make a beautiful white gold alloy. Silver can do the trick as well.